Meet Scarlett Striker, a bold and quirky journalist for the Seattle Times. She's fun, confident, sassy, and just the right amount of weird. Scarlett is determined to rise to the top, no matter what it takes.
When her boss offers a golden opportunity...
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I can't believe him. He cut me loose? Just like that? It's only been a couple of days, but the disbelief still lingers, twisting in my gut like a knife. The memory of his words, cold and ruthless, plays on repeat in my head. And Natalia—she was just standing there, like she won.
I glance down at my hand, the one that punched him. It felt satisfying to hit him, to get even the smallest taste of revenge for how he hurt me. With his words. With his indifference. With that damn smirk.
Whatever. I don't need him. I never did. I'm successful without him, and since he was so kind to point me in the direction of a corrupt businessman, I'll finish this on my own. I'll find the truth. I'll expose Nicolás Acosta, and when I do, James won't be able to deny it.
I click through my computer at work, fingers flying over the keys as I search for any lead, any scrap of information on Acosta that I can dig into. Each click of the mouse feels like a small victory, a step closer to uncovering the truth.
But no matter how hard I try to focus, my mind keeps drifting back to that moment. To the look in his eyes when he said those vile things. To the feel of his skin under my fist. That punch—it didn't fix anything, but for one second, it felt good. It felt like I was in control.
I shake my head, pulling myself back to the task at hand. I don't need James, and I sure as hell don't need the baggage that comes with him. Right now, it's all about exposing Acosta. My fingers hover over the keyboard as I open up a file, determination surging through me. I'll bring him down, piece by piece.
And James? He'll regret ever pushing me away.
"Hey," I hear Adrian's familiar voice behind me, and I glance up from my computer. "It's almost six. You sticking around?"
I offer him a small, forced smile, but inside, my chest tightens with that familiar heart-wrenching feeling I can't shake. Adrian and I aren't exactly dating yet, but we're somewhere in those first stages, navigating through the unspoken feelings between us. And still, no matter how hard I try, I can't shake the weight of everything that's been happening—James, the betrayal, the brutal truth I've uncovered.
"Yeah," I reply, pushing the thoughts aside for now. "Now that my piece on La Vida Nueva is out, I've got a new target—Acosta International." I echo what I told my boss earlier, trying to sound more determined than I feel. Adrian flashes that award-winning smile of his, dimples deepening in that way that used to make my heart flutter.
But right now? It doesn't. Not the way it should.
"Acosta International, huh?" Adrian asks, stepping closer, his curiosity piqued. "Does this involve another trip to some sketchy warehouse?" There's a playful lilt to his voice, but I can sense the genuine concern beneath it.
My mind flashes to the night at that very warehouse—the confrontation, the danger, and James... Dimitri. The moment everything changed. I swallow hard, forcing those memories down where they belong. It was a mistake, but one I can't undo.
